Aureus

Before Julius Caesar, gold Roman coins were only minted by emperors. This was done very rarely and without the involvement of the Senate. The denarius aureus, normally shortened to aureus, was a traditional coin that, from the time of Augustus, was equivalent to 25 silver denarii (100 sesterces, 200 dupondii, 400 asses, or 1600 quadrans). This Hadrian aureus probably dates from 128–138 CE. The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of Emperor Hadrian in an elegant portrait in the Greek style. The reverse shows the allegorical figure of Liberalitas, the goddess of generosity, in the form of a standing woman holding an abacus and a cornucopia, or horn of plenty.